I know, I know – it was A$AP Rocky that broke through back in January, but Rocky’s album is killer. Ferg definitely has a cool style about his rhymes, and a unique voice to match. Maybe I’m overrating Trap Lord, but several of its ‘big guns’ remain on my iPod rotation.

Wale’s more intellectual approach is certainly refreshing, particularly on “Golden Salvation (Jesus Piece)” where Wale wordplays between “piece” and “peace”. That said, ‘the gifted’ MC can also deliver an awesome club banger. Maybe he didn’t have Diplo in his corner this go-round (“Slight Work”), but his booty anthem certainly held up pretty capably (“Clappers”). The Gifted may lack the shock value of Eminem or Kanye, but Folarin still definitely had one of the best rap albums of 2013.

Childish Gambino made a late push for the best rap album of 2013 and did so convincingly. A conceptual album that also has a 75-page script to clarify the songs, Because the Internet is one of the most ambitious albums (regardless of genre) of the year.

Probably the biggest reason A$AP Rocky sits at number ten is because it was released back in January. That isn’t to say Long. Live. A$AP doesn’t have enduring value (it does), but some of the material was less memorable than some of the albums sitting ahead of it. Still, can’t deny the endurance of “F**kin’ Problems”, right?